Batting maestro Virat Kohli is currently leading the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 run-scoring charts, as his latest batting blitz saw him scoring an incredible century during Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) versus Rajasthan Royals (RR) clash in Jaipur on April 6. Riding on his super centurion knock, Virat Kohli notched his highest T20 league score - an unbeaten 113 - yet his performance became a talking point for unexpected reasons.
Pakistan's Junaid Khan mocks Virat Kohli's slow century
While Kohli's knock secured the Orange Cap, some fans and pundits questioned the strike rate and intent behind his innings. This debate was further fueled by former Pakistani pacer Junaid Khan who jokingly labeled it the ‘slowest century in IPL history’.
Virat Kohli put on a show with the bat against Rajasthan, blasting four sixes and 12 boundaries during his unbeaten 113-run knock. This innings not only tied his highest score in the IPL (achieved in 2016 against Kings XI Punjab), but it also entered the record books for another reason. Kohli's 72-ball century now stands as the joint-slowest in IPL history, alongside Manish Pandey's 100 off 67 balls scored back in 2009.
Players with slowest century in IPL:
| S. No. | Players | Balls | versus |
| 1 | Virat Kohli | 67 | Rajasthan Royals |
| 2 | Manish Pandey | 67 | Deccan Chargers |
| 3 | Sachin Tendulkar | 66 | Kochi Tuskers |
| 4 | David Warner | 66 | KKR |
| 5 | Jos Buttler | 66 | Mumbai Indians |
| 6 | Kevin Pietersen | 64 | Deccan Chargers |
Virat Kohli's 113-run knock against Rajasthan Royals on Saturday marked his ninth century in T20 cricket, a remarkable feat. However, the innings, while record-breaking in terms of total runs scored, was also his slowest in the IPL, taking 72 balls. This aspect of his performance sparked discussion on social media.
Meanwhile, post Kohli's knock Junaid Khan took a jab at Virat Kohli on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter). His post read:
"Congratulations Virat Kohli on the slowest 100 in the history of IPL".
Despite the pitch appearing flat on television, Kohli revealed during the mid-innings break that scoring runs proved more challenging in reality.
“The wicket looks quite different from the outside. It feels like it's flat, but the ball is holding up in the pitch, that's when you realise the pace changes. One of us (Virat or Faf) had to bat till the end. I feel this total is effective on this pitch. I am not coming in with any premeditation. I knew I couldn't get over aggressive, just that I had to keep the bowlers guessing. It's just experience and maturity of playing the conditions,” Kohli told broadcasters.
"Even if there's dew, the surface is rough and dry, won't be easy for the batters. I couldn't get under the ball against Ashwin. Couldn't slog towards mid-wicket, so had to target straight down the ground," he had said during the mid-innings break," he added.
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